The Fatal Ring
Advertisement (1917)
Directed byGeorge B. Seitz
Written byFrederick J. Jackson
Bertram Millhauser
George B. Seitz
Produced byLouis J. Gasnier
StarringPearl White
Earle Foxe
Production
company
Distributed byPathé Exchange
Release date
  • July 8, 1917 (1917-07-08)
Running time
20 episodes (2 reels each)
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)

The Fatal Ring is a 1917 American action film serial directed by George B. Seitz. Silentera.com reports that the UCLA Film and Television Archive may have a complete print.[1] A deteriorating fragment roll containing a scene is discovered in France by Australian filmmaker Robert Hoskins in 2021 who then scanned it and uploaded it to his YouTube channel.[2]

Cast

Chapter titles

Film poster
  1. The Violet Diamond
  2. The Crushing Walls
  3. Borrowed Identity
  4. The Warning On The Ring
  5. Danger Underground
  6. Rays of Death
  7. The Signal Lantern
  8. The Switch In The Safe
  9. The Dice of Death
  10. The Perilous Plunge
  11. The Short Circuit
  12. A Desperate Chance
  13. A Dash of Arabia
  14. The Painted Safe
  15. The Dagger Duel
  16. The Double Disguise
  17. The Death Weight
  18. The Subterfuge
  19. The End of The Trail

Reception

Like many American films of the time, The Fatal Ring was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. The Chicago Board of Censors required these cuts in the following chapters of the serial: Chapter 1, Reel 2, the stabbing of man after theft of diamonds, man thrusting knife to stab man not in picture, and stabbing young man in snow, Reel 3, the intertitle starting with "The first move means death" and the two holdup scenes following, four slugging scenes, and choking of girl; Chapter 2, slugging of reporter; Chapter 3, the striking of girl on head with bottle and the throwing of policeman overboard; Chapter 4, lashing of man, three scenes of threatening girl with gun, and two shooting scenes; Chapter 5, Carslake slugging reporter, bumping reporter's head against wall, all scenes of man impersonating officer holding up Knox girl in room, fight scenes, and intertitle "Whether the diamond is recovered or not - you die"; Chapter 6, all scenes of girl suspended over cauldron of boiling oil except flash of one scene, gagging girl, throwing man in tank, and the intertitle "Knox must die tonight"; Chapter 7, holdup, binding, and choking of reporter, attack and choking of girl on stairway, attack on jailer, passing of money, intertitle starting with "She is Violet Standish", binding reporter to chair, and holdup of girl in car;[3] Chapter 8, the intertitles "At the point of a pistol," etc., and "These tricks avail you nothing", four holdup scenes at automobile, threatening reporter in chair, two choking scenes, two scenes of "The Spider" pouring acid on bars at window, three torture scenes, taking diamond from footstool, shooting servant, three fight scenes, Carslake holding up chauffeur, intertitle starting with "With the ransom I'll get," and two holdup scenes;[4] Chapter 9, intertitle "Why should we do away with her, when we can get a big ransom", gang wrapping girl in rug, attack on Carslake in priestess' room, two scenes of man threatening Carslake with dagger, three intertitles "I'll give you the diamond, but I must have the girl", "Them's the boss's words. If I'm not back by three, croak her", and "If I'm not back to my people by three, the girl dies", man shooting at car tires, and man stabbing figure on couch; Chapter 10, three scenes of holdup of reporter, two scenes of man and girl struggling on floor, taking diamonds, overpowering reporter, binding and gagging reporter, and gang setting fire to cabin; Chapter 12, scene of man forcing girl on table;[5] Chapter 14, four scenes of safe drilling;[4] Chapter 15, two closeups of choking girl, stealing diamonds, fight scene where dagger is thrown, and shooting girl;[6] Chapter 18, Reel 1, all holdup scenes to where Pearl overpowers girl, Reel 2, snatching money from shipping clerk, five holdup scenes to where man falls, two scenes of holdup of girl, and two scenes of holdup of Pearl.[7] and Chapter 19, Reel 1, two holdup scenes, shorten fight scene between Spider and Carslake, action of Carslake slugging Spider, actual slugging of Spider, throwing him over roof and body striking the ground, two scenes of Spider shooting, slugging Carslake, intertitles "You will never trouble us again" and "Refuse and the next shot will be at your eyes", three holdup scenes by the Priestess, Reel 2, three scenes of holdup of Pearl, three scenes of holdup of servants, stealing from Pearl, holdup of Pearl on rocks, and shooting man in the hand.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Progressive Silent Film List: The Fatal Ring". silentera.com. Retrieved August 22, 2008.
  2. ↑ # 40 - Lost 35mm Nitrate Film FOUND ! ( in 4K of 2160p UHD ), retrieved January 4, 2024
  3. ↑ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. New York: Exhibitors Herald Company. 5 (14): 33. September 29, 1917. (cuts in Chapters 1 to 7)
  4. 1 2 "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 5 (18): 33. October 27, 1917. (cuts in Chapters 8 and 14)
  5. ↑ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 5 (16): 33. October 13, 1917. (cuts in Chapters 9, 10, and 11)
  6. ↑ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 5 (20): 33. November 10, 1917. (cuts in Chapter 15)
  7. ↑ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 5 (22): 33. November 24, 1917. (cuts in Chapter 18)
  8. ↑ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 5 (26): 40. December 22, 1917. (cuts in Chapter 19)
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